


but that's what happens

by fortytworedvines



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Fluffy Angst, lots of talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-28 06:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16718025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortytworedvines/pseuds/fortytworedvines
Summary: Yaz is pining, and the Tardis just can't quite tell the Doctor what to do. An interfering grandmother, however, can manage a lot better. Or, Umbreen sorts them out.





	but that's what happens

The Doctor watched through the Tardis’s security feed as her companions walked away. Graham and Ryan, together, in the direction of their house, Yaz hurrying to the entrance of the block of flats that was opposite the little alleyway where the Tardis stood.

She sighed. They’d be back, in a week. Ryan and Yaz had jobs to hold down and Graham had said he’d needed to tackle some of the paperwork which was sure to be stacking up in his absence. They’d be back, but still, watching them leave was a pang.

She looked away from the video feed, turned to the Tardis controls. She had plans! Places to see, things to do, without needing to keep an eye on three pesky humans. Her fingers tightened around one of the many levers and her head dropped. Who was she kidding? She’d miss them. She’d miss arguing with Graham and Ryan’s youthful enthusiasm and Yaz… Yaz. Yaz, who she could barely keep her eyes off. Yaz, who looked at her like she was one of the stars she loved but didn’t hesitate to call her all sorts of an idiot. Yaz, with big brown eyes and long shining hair… Her eyes flicked involuntarily back to the screen. Yaz had disappeared from view.

Her fingers slipped from the lever and she let herself collapse slowly onto the floor. ‘What am I _doing_?’ she mumbled.

The Tardis whirred at her and she glared. ‘Thank you. Very helpful.’

The spot she’d dubbed ‘Custard Cream Button’ pinged, and something clattered out. ‘Well, thanks, I guess.’ She patted the console absently, and reached up to retrieve it. It wasn’t a custard cream. It was a pack of lovehearts. ‘Very funny. You think you’re amusing do you?’

The Tardis whirred again and she subsided. No point arguing with anything that knew her as well as the Tardis did. Idly, she broke open the packet. _Tell her_ was written on the top one.

 

Yaz unlocked the flat door and pushed it open. ‘I’m home,’ she called. Her mum appeared from the kitchen.

‘Oh, there you are. Did you have a good break?’

‘Yeah, wonderful, thanks. Saw loads of new things.’

‘And you were off with this Doctor, were you?’ Najia raised an eyebrow and Yaz blushed.

‘She’s just a friend, mum,’ she mumbled, ‘You know Ryan and his granddad were along too. We’re just mates.’

‘Hmm,’ her mum shot her a look and headed back into the kitchen, ‘Odd group to be mates, if you ask me. When are we going to get to meet her properly then? Last time you didn’t even come back for tea. Why don’t you get her to come over now?’

Yaz’s heart jumped at the thought of the Doctor in her flat, meeting the parents… just as a friend, of course. But she shook her head, ‘She wanted to go off again for a bit. She’s gone already.’ She wandered over to the window as she spoke, peering over to the alleyway where the Tardis had landed. To her surprise, the roof of the police box was still visible. She pressed a hand to her chest at the sudden pounding of her heart. By the time she got down, the Doctor would have gone, she reasoned. She’d told them she had plans. And she couldn’t invite just the Doctor back for tea, could she. It’d be weird without the others… wouldn’t it? Would it be obvious she had a crush? More than a crush. The Tardis still hadn’t moved. ‘I think I love her,’ she whispered to the view.

‘Sorry love, what was that?’ her mum called from the kitchen.

‘I’m not sure she’s gone yet, I’ll go see if she wants to come up.’ Now she’d said it, she was certain the Tardis was going to vanish. She ran for the front door, snatching her keys as she left, and pounded down the stairs. She knew she could run faster than the lift could go, thanks to all the police training.

Amazingly, the Tardis hadn’t moved as she rounded the entrance to the alleyway. ‘Please don’t go, please don’t go,’ she gasped as she ran up to the door. She had barely reached it when it swung open, and she paused momentarily; it had never done that before for her. As she stepped in, she took a deep, calming breath. It was just tea. It wasn’t anything more than that. Just food.

She was surprised to see the Doctor curled up on the floor by the console, chewing on something.

‘Doctor?’ she said, uncertainly, and the Doctor glanced up, hastily tucked the wrapper of whatever she was eating into a pocket and stood up.

‘Yaz. You came back.’

Yaz nibbled her lip nervously. ‘My mum was just, I mean… I… do you want to come for tea?’

A smile broke across the Doctor’s face, ‘Tea at Yaz’s. Sounds great.’

Yaz smiled, ‘I promise there won’t be any spiders this time.’

 

As they headed back up to the flat, Yaz’s insides were twinging again. No Graham and Ryan, no near death situation; it was just her and the Doctor and she knew she was going to say something stupid. Or do something stupid. Or both, at once, while her family laughed at her for good measure.

They stopped at Yaz’s front door and the Doctor smiled at her. ‘Thanks. It was just going to be me, the Tardis and a dodgy takeaway from somewhere. This is much nicer.’

Yaz laughed and felt herself relax a little, ‘Don’t say that too soon.’ She opened the door. ‘Mum, we’re back.’

‘You caught up with her then, great.’ Nadja appeared in the hallway to smile at the Doctor, ‘Good to see you again.’ Then she turned to Yaz, ‘And your gran’s here too, won’t this be nice?’

Yaz stopped still and the Doctor nearly collided with her. ‘Nani?’ she said, ‘Oh...’

‘This would be Umbreen?’ The Doctor whispered in her ear.

Yaz nodded and turned to look at her with startled eyes, ‘Oh dear.’

They stared at each other for a moment. ‘Maybe she won’t remember you,’ Yaz said hopefully. ‘She’s never recognised me.’

‘I mean this in the nicest possible way, Yaz, but it’s possible you were slightly less distinctive than me at the time.’ The Doctor grinned a little, ‘Well, what’s the worst than can happen?’ And with that she stepped forward confidently, leaving Yaz glaring after her.

It was all very well for the Doctor to say that, Yaz thought, but after all the Doctor never had to see any of them again if she didn’t want to and it’d be Yaz who’d spend the next decade fending off awkward questions.

 

The Doctor stepped into the flat, cursing herself internally. Always trying to look confident around Yaz, that was the problem. It made her forget things that she should have remembered, like those ankle bracelets the other day at Kerblam. And it made her do things that were almost certainly a bad idea, like now.

‘Hi Najia,’ she said as she walked into the living area, ‘I really like your sofas.’ Honestly!

‘Doctor.’ Najia was eyeing her speculatively, and it made her feel uncomfortable. ‘This is my mum, Umbreen.’ She beckoned and an old woman with a long white plait appeared. ‘Mum, this is Yaz’s friend, the Doctor.’

She could sense Yaz, frozen behind her. The Doctor held out her hand, ‘Nice to meet you,’ she said, and held her breath.

Umbreen smiled, ‘We’ve met before, haven’t we,’ she shook the Doctor’s hand, and the Doctor heard Yaz breathe out unsteadily. ‘A long time ago.’

The Doctor held Umbreen’s gaze steadily. ‘Yes, we have.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me, mum?’ Najia asked as she beckoned them all to sit down, ‘We’ve been so curious and you haven’t said a word!’

‘I wasn’t certain,’ Umbreen said quietly as she sat, ‘Doctor, come and sit here,’ she patted the seat beside her, ‘I think it’s time we had a good chat. Yaz, you too.’

The Doctor sat beside Umbreen, trying not to stare too much. _Ageing._ She could see the traces of the girl Umbreen had been, but hidden now under years of wear. She suddenly wondered what Yaz would look like when she was that age, and if she’d be around to see her. She looked up as Yaz sat beside her. Yaz gave her one of her luminous looks and the Doctor beamed back. Yaz always made her feel brighter.

‘I’ll put a brew on,’ Najia said, and left the sofa to the three.

‘You remember me,’ the Doctor said.

Umbreen smiled, ‘You’re a hard woman to forget. And those days were hard to forget,’ her smile flickered briefly before she turned to Yaz, ‘And you! Thinking I wouldn’t remember the terrible henna my mother did on my wedding night.’

Umbreen’s hand found the Doctor’s. ‘I wondered if I would ever see you again, and then Najia started ranting to me about Yaz’s mysterious friend who called herself the Doctor.’

‘Is that why you gave me the watch?’ Yaz asked, ‘Prem’s watch?’

Umbreen shrugged, ‘I thought you might need a little push.’ Her fingers tightened round the Doctor’s, in a grip that was almost painful, but the Doctor said nothing. ‘I think you saved my life. Thank you.’

The Doctor blinked tears from her eyes, ‘I’m sorry we couldn’t do more.’

‘Will you tell me what happened?’

The Doctor felt Yaz trembling beside her, reached for her hand to hold it tightly. For a moment it was slack in her grasp and then Yaz’s fingers wound round hers and gave a squeeze. Yaz slipped onto the floor, still holding the Doctor’s hand, and reached out to her grandmother. The Doctor looked down at her, at their joined hands and at Yaz’s eyes, dark with emotion. She closed her own eyes for a moment. ‘I’ll tell you,’ she said.

 

Yaz’s mum had disappeared off on some errand of her own, and when she reappeared with a tray set with mugs of tea the three women were silent, tears in their eyes as they held hands.

‘What on earth have you all been talking about?’ she asked quizzically.

The Doctor looked up at her, ‘Shared history,’ she said gently. She looked down at Yaz, noting again how stunning her eyes were, even blinking back tears. She squeezed her hand again then released it, reaching over to the tray. ‘Thanks, Yaz’s mum.’

‘It’s Najia,’ Najia rolled her eyes, ‘Why do I have to keep reminding you?’

‘Sorry,’ she murmured as she blew across the warm mug.

‘Thanks mum,’ Yaz said as she picked up another mug.

Najia settled herself comfortably on the other sofa. ‘So, Doctor. What is it you actually do? Yaz talks a lot about travelling but she never mentions any specifics.’ She shot a glance at Yaz, who blushed.

‘Doctor?’ Yaz looked up at the Doctor, and the Doctor smiled back.

‘Your family deserve to know the truth, Yaz,’ she said, eyes fixed on her friend.

Yaz blinked. ‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes.’ The Doctor looked at Najia, ‘I’m a traveller.’

Najia sipped her tea and said nothing, only raised an eyebrow.

‘I travel in time and space,’ the Doctor went on, ‘It’s me, my ship and sometimes I take friends along. At the moment it’s Yaz,’ her eyes met Yaz’s and she smiled involuntarily, ‘Ryan and Graham. I sort of accidentally kidnapped them the first time and then they decided they quite liked being along with me.’

‘I’m supposed to believe this?’

Yaz jumped to her feet, ‘It’s true, mum!’

‘Hey,’ the Doctor reached out to grab Yaz and pull her down on the sofa next to her, ‘It is fairly unbelievable. Oh, also I’m an alien. Time Lord, that’s what I am.’

‘It _i_ _s_ true, Najia,’ Umbreen put in, ‘At least, I don’t know about the space and alien bit , but I met the Doctor and Yaz in 1947.’

‘What?!’

‘I didn’t know it was Yaz, of course. They gatecrashed my first wedding.’

‘Your what?!’

‘Maybe we better leave them to it,’ the Doctor whispered to Yaz as Najia stared, open mouthed, at her mother. ‘I think your mum might be more worried about this than me. Come on.’ They slipped unobtrusively from the room.

‘This way,’ Yaz led the Doctor down the corridor and pushed open a door. ‘My room.’

‘Yaz’s room, brilliant!’

 

Yaz hovered by the door as the Doctor moved around her room, inspecting all the certificates and mementos she had on display. The Doctor, in _her_ room.

The Doctor pointed to a photo she had stuck on the side of her mirror, ‘When was this?’

‘My first day on the force after training,’ Yaz said, moving to join her, ‘I was so nervous and so excited.’

‘You look so young,’ the Doctor murmured, inspecting it closely.

‘Two years ago now.’ Yaz sighed. She hated it when the Doctor referenced her age. She didn’t want to be reminded of the years between them.

‘Good two years?’

‘Been great since I met you.’ The words slipped from Yaz’s mouth before she could stop them. She clamped her lips shut before she could say anything else, but the Doctor merely looked at her, lips quirking in a small smile.

‘Bet they were more peaceful before.’

‘And much more boring.’

There was a knock at the door. ‘Yaz, Doctor? Come back.’

‘Mum.’ Yaz rolled her eyes.

The Doctor grinned, ‘She’s taken it better than most so far, trust me.’

Soon they were all sitting in the living room again. Yaz glanced between her mum and her nan and guessed they’d sorted it out for the most part. But then her mother’s gaze turned to her and she quailed.

‘Chin up,’ the Doctor murmured next to her, ‘You’ve survived worse than a grilling from your mum.’

Yaz chuckled.

Najia turned to look at the Doctor. ‘You’re an alien who travels in time and space.’ The Doctor nodded. ‘What do you want with our Yaz?’

‘She’s just a friend,’ the Doctor said and the pain of that _just_ went straight to Yaz’s heart. ‘She likes travelling, seeing the stars and visiting planets, so she comes along.’ The Doctor glanced at Yaz, and added quietly, ‘She can leave any time she wants to.’

‘I don’t want to,’ Yaz blurted, ‘I love it, I love all of it.’ _Especially you._

‘Is it safe?’

The Doctor took a deep breath. ‘No.’

Yaz froze. Her mum’s face had got hard and severe. She was too old to be grounded though, surely. What if she had to choose; choose between the family that she loved and the Doctor that she loved?

But the Doctor was speaking again, ‘I can’t ever promise that it’ll be safe. We’ve been in dangerous situations before, we’ll be in them again. But I can promise you that I’ll always do everything in my power to bring Yaz home at the end of them.’ She turned to Yaz, with that soft smile that Yaz sometimes daydreamed was only for her. ‘Promise.’ Then, in one of her whiplash moods, she looked across at Najia again, ‘But Yaz isn’t a child. I trust her judgement, and she’s plenty good at getting things sorted herself.’

‘Right. Fine. I think I’d better get tea on.’

Najia left and Yaz felt the Doctor’s fingers brush over her own. ‘Well, that went well.’ She stood too, and Yaz watched as she followed Najia to the kitchen, ‘What’s for tea? Can I help?’

 

‘Thanks for coming.’

The Doctor and Yaz stood by the door. The Doctor was pleasantly full of dinner, and was fairly convinced that she’d managed to win Najia round with tales of her more pleasant adventures. As it turned out, Najia was a big Agatha Christie fan and as Yaz had been bugging her for that story for the past few days, the Doctor had recounted her adventures with Agatha and a giant wasp to an enthralled audience. She’d lowered the body count a little though.

Yaz smiled at her and she blinked. ‘Thanks for inviting me.’ She hovered by the door, aware that she should go and yet unwilling to do so.

‘I’ll… I’ll walk you home?’ Yaz offered and the Doctor grinned.

‘Such a gentleman,’ she teased and enjoyed the way that Yaz’s blush spread across her cheeks.

They made their way slowly down the stairs, out into the cold night.

The Tardis door swung open as they reached it.

‘Coming in?’ The Doctor offered, although she knew the probable answer.

Yaz shook her head, ‘Better get back up. I’m on an early shift tomorrow, got to get ready.’

‘Okay,’ the Doctor smiled at her. ‘I’ll see you.’ She forced herself to back into the Tardis, although every inch of her was crying out to lean forward and give Yaz at least a hug.

A flash of emotion skittered over Yaz’s face and vanished. ‘See you,’ she agreed.

The Doctor watched from the open door of the Tardis as she walked away. She’d nearly reached the end of the alley when the Doctor was seized with a need to say something, anything, more.

‘Yaz,’ she called, and Yaz swung round. ‘Stay safe?’

The brilliance of Yaz’s smile nearly knocked her off her feet. ‘I will,’ she replied.

 

Yaz sat wearily on her bed, rubbing her face. It had been a long time since she was last here, such a long time since she’d last put on her police uniform. A knock at the door startled her.

‘Yasmin? May I come in?’

‘Yes, Nani.’

Umbreen opened the door then pushed it tight shut behind her. ‘Room for a little one?’

Yaz shuffled obediently up the bed, giving her gran space to sit down.

‘So, Yaz. You and the Doctor.’

Yaz looked down. ‘We’re just friends, Nani.’

‘Are you? Really?’ Her gran leant back against the wall. ‘I remember quite a lot from those few days, you know. I remember seeing you together and being confused, because you looked at each other like Prem and I did, and I didn’t understand how two girls could feel that way.’

Yaz gasped. ‘Nani… I don’t… _she_ doesn’t.’

‘Have you ever asked her?’

Yaz stared at her hands. ‘I love travelling with her more than anything. I won’t risk losing that. Friendship is better than nothing.’

‘How long ago was it for you?’

Yaz blinked, startled by the change of direction. ‘What, when we went to Punjab? Three weeks? Maybe a month.’

Her gran nodded as if satisfied. ‘And has anything happened in that month?’

‘Sometimes… sometimes we look at each other and it’s like everything has stopped and it’s just us,’ Yaz whispered.

A warm hand patted her leg. ‘Well then, maybe you’d better have a chat soon.’ Her gran pushed herself slowly off the bed, ‘You’d have to be blind not to notice how much she cares about you. Goodnight, Yasmin.’

‘Goodnight, Nani,’ Yaz murmured as the door closed. She lay wearily down and forced her thoughts away from the Doctor. She had work to get to, tomorrow. Life continued, whether the Doctor was there or not.

 

In the morning, the Tardis was still parked in the alleyway. The Doctor was trying not to think about it too much. ‘Maintenance needs doing,’ she muttered at the console as she walked past, looking for her tool kit, ‘might as well do it here as anywhere else.’ The Tardis beeped and she shook a fist at it.

She was lying flat on the floor with her arms deep in the Tardis’s insides when there was a knock at the door. She stood up hurriedly and bumped her head on the console. ‘Ow,’ she yelped as she rubbed the tender spot. She glanced at the video feed. ‘Huh.’

 

‘I thought I’d find you here.’ Umbreen was standing at the Tardis door, smiling at the Doctor.

‘Um, come in?’ The Doctor gestured inside with a hand that was holding an oily rag. ‘Sorry.’ She threw it into the corner and wished she’d not left things in such a mess.

‘So this is your ship?’ Umbreen stepped through the doorway and looked around with interest. ‘Bigger on the inside I see,’ she said casually.

‘Uh, yeah,’ the Doctor rubbed her head again. That bump had hurt. ‘Um, are you here for anything in particular? Does Yaz need me?’

Umbreen shot her a look. ‘I’m here for myself. Mostly.’ She wandered over to the console.

‘Don’t touch anything! Please,’ the Doctor added hurriedly. ‘She’s still quite new to me and I’m not sure what all of the buttons and levers do.’

‘You take Yaz and explore all of time and space together?’ Umbreen gazed around, ‘I’m almost jealous.’

‘Would you, uh… like to? Go somewhere?’ The Doctor offered. She wondered what she was thinking. Had she got so desperate that was trying to impress all of Yaz’s family now? But no, that was unfair. She liked Umbreen on her own account.

‘Really?’ Umbreen said.

‘Really.’ The Doctor grinned suddenly. Could be fun.

‘I’ve never fancied space travel,’ Umbreen said thoughtfully, ‘And time travel...’ she paused, a little wistfully, ‘could be dangerous. Tell you what, Doctor. Have you ever been to the Peak District?’

 

A few minutes later they were standing on a cold, bare, hillside. The Doctor had grabbed a couple of coats from one of the Tardis wardrobes and Umbreen was bundled into a long blue overcoat that she thought Captain Jack might have left behind, many, many years ago. She sighed. Time passed so quickly.

‘When I was younger I’d come walking up here every weekend,’ Umbreen said. ‘Sheffield wasn’t the exotic location I’d imagined it would be but up here… everything wild and so different to India. It was amazing. That village down there,’ she pointed and the Doctor peered down, ‘is called Hope.’

‘Hope,’ the Doctor sighed, ‘We all need that.’ She shivered suddenly and the older woman looked at her.

‘Have you got a kitchen in there? How about a cuppa while we admire the view.’

They sat companionably in the Tardis entrance way, hands cupped around warm mugs.

‘So,’ Umbreen said after a while, ‘Yaz.’

‘Is this the bit where you ask me my intentions?’ The Doctor asked sardonically. Umbreen looked at her quietly and she sighed. ‘I don’t have intentions,’ she stared down unseeing into the valley.

‘It’s obvious that you care about her.’

‘Of course I care about her!’ The Doctor said, stung, ‘I care about all of them. Just… Just a little more about her.’

‘Why don’t you do something about it?’

‘It’s not that simple.’ The Doctor stood suddenly and stalked into the Tardis.

‘Why not?’ Umbreen called after her.

‘Come with me.’ The Doctor led her into the network of corridors that ran around the console room, and then through a door. ‘See.’

‘It’s a wardrobe.’

‘These are all clothes left behind by my friends.’

Umbreen looked around the huge room, noting the rows of clothes.

‘I have had a lot of friends over the years. Some who were just mates, some who cared for me, some that I loved. I had a wife. I had a family, a long time ago. I’m very, _very_ old, Umbreen. You look at me and see a girl, I look at myself and I’m still surprised that I’m not an old Scottish man, and I’m barely not surprised that I’m not a young man with a huge forehead. My friends, they come and go.’ She blinked back hot tears, ‘Sometimes they die.’

Umbreen took her hand. ‘You weren’t joking, about being a man before.’

The Doctor closed her eyes and shook her head. ‘I’m very old and also, in this body, very new. I’ve never been a woman before. Me, _this_ me, I’m still learning. I’m still learning about who I am and what I can do and,’ she added very quietly, ‘what I want.’

They made their way back out to the hillside, to stare down at the village called Hope.

‘You should talk to her, you know.’ Umbreen said after a while. ‘You said it yourself; you trust her. Well, talk to her. Tell her the truth. Listen, Doctor. I know you’re scared. You’ve lost so many people. But isn’t it better to be happy, really truly happy, for a short while than to live the rest of your life never loving again?’

Umbreen’s arm curled around her shoulders and the Doctor leant in against her. ‘You didn’t expect to fall in love, but that’s what happens,’ she said softly.

‘Who said that?’

‘Me, the other day.’

Umbreen chuckled. ‘Any other words of wisdom?’

The Doctor thought for a moment. ‘ _What’s the point in them being happy now if they’re going to be sad later. And the answer is, of course, because they’re going to be sad later_. I suppose I was saying that as much to myself as I was to my friend.’

‘I was devastated when I lost Prem, but you know, for all the pain of losing him I wouldn’t have changed the days when I loved him. Talk to her, Doctor.’

The Doctor closed her eyes. ‘I will,’ she promised.

 

Yaz shrugged wearily out of her police vest and hung it in her locker. She’d got through what seemed like the longest shift ever, her mind continually wandering to the Doctor, wondering what she was doing now, what planets she might be exploring. She fished out her phone from the back of her locker and was surprised to see a text from her Nani, inviting her round for tea. Then she smiled; it would be good to be away from the inquisitive interrogation of her parents.

Her gran’s door was never locked. ‘Nani, I’m here,’ she called.

‘We’re in here, love.’

We? She headed into the living room and stood stock still; there on the sofa, beside her gran, was the Doctor. And scattered all around them were photo albums.

‘Yaz!’ The Doctor grinned, ‘You were an adorable child.’

‘Really, Nani? Was this necessary?’ Yaz could only hope that the Doctor hadn’t seen some of the more embarrassing ones.

‘I’ll go and put the kettle on,’ her gran said, ‘You, sit.’

Yaz slumped on the sofa beside the Doctor. ‘What have you and Nani been getting up to then?’

The Doctor frowned at her, ‘You’re tired,’ she noted.

‘Long shift,’ Yaz mumbled, ‘Don’t dodge the question.’

‘This morning I took her up to the Peak District.’

‘In the Tardis?’

The Doctor raised an eyebrow, ‘How else?’

‘Buses do exist, you know.’

The Doctor elbowed her, ‘Don’t you get snarky with me, Yasmin Khan.’ She fished a photo out of a pile and waved it, ‘I know your deepest secrets.’

Yaz sat up and snatched at the photo, ‘Oh, _no._ Oh, I’m going to have words with Nani.’

Her gran came into the room carrying two mugs. ‘Are you? Here you go. I thought we’d have fish and chips for tea, I’ll just pop out and fetch them.’ She set the mugs down and looked meaningfully at them. ‘You two have plenty you can talk about while you’re waiting.’

‘Nani!’ Yaz stared at her.

‘Bye,’ her gran smiled sweetly and whipped out of the flat more quickly than Yaz could have imagined.

 

With sudden butterflies in her stomach, Yaz turned to look at the Doctor. She was sipping her tea and looking steadily at Yaz.

‘Do I take it your gran has had a little chat with you, too?’

‘Doctor… I...’ Yaz blushed in confusion, picked up her mug so that she had something else to concentrate on. When she finally looked across at the Doctor, it was to see such a soft expression on her face.

‘We talked about you, this morning.’ The Doctor said, eyes never leaving Yaz’s, ‘She said I needed to be honest with you.’

Yaz’s stomach lurched uncomfortably and she put her mug down, curled her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. ‘You know I like you,’ she said, nervously.

The Doctor nodded abruptly.

‘I… we don’t have to talk about it. We can just pretend that...’

‘Yaz,’ the Doctor touched Yaz’s hand and Yaz trembled at the feel. ‘I need to tell you about me.’ She offered her hand, palm up, and Yaz slid hers over it. The Doctor clasped it firmly. ‘I like you, Yaz. As a friend – as _more_ than a friend. I’ve never done this before, not like this,’ her free hand gestured at her body. ‘You know I’m old, don’t you? I’ve been a husband, I’ve been a _grandfather_. ’ The pain in her eyes made Yaz wince. ‘I’ve said goodbye to so many people that I’ve loved, over so many years. And now, there’s you. And I’m...’ the Doctor took a deep breath and Yaz held her own, ‘I’m falling in love with you. And I’m scared.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Yaz whispered, uncurling herself. She reached out and pulled an unresisting Doctor in, holding her tight.

‘Don’t be sorry,’ the Doctor murmured, ‘Not your fault you’re brilliant.’

Yaz laughed shakily. ‘What do you want to do?’

‘Your choice,’ the Doctor said, even as her arms found their way around Yaz’s waist. ‘Whatever you want, Yaz.’

Yaz sighed. For a few moments she let herself enjoy the feel of the Doctor in her arms, without thinking about it. ‘I don’t want you to be scared,’ she said eventually, ‘That’s not you.’

‘I’m scared a lot,’ the Doctor murmured, ‘I just hide it well.’

Yaz chuckled. ‘Is it worth it? Being scared, against, well… me?’

The Doctor looked up at her seriously, ‘You’re worth everything, Yaz.’ Then she nestled back down.

Yaz tucked the Doctor’s head under her chin. ‘What would it be like, you and me?’

‘I’d offer to show you the stars, but I already did that. I… I’d like to take you out to dinner. A date. I imagine there’d be kissing.’ The Doctor let go of Yaz and drew back, so that they were facing each other. ‘Is that what girlfriends do?’

Yaz stared at her for a second then grinned, ‘Well, I can’t speak for all girlfriends but I definitely spent a lot of time kissing mine.’

‘Ah, you’re experienced then?’ Yaz couldn’t see a trace of jealousy in the Doctor’s face, ‘That would be useful.’

Yaz reached out for the Doctor’s hand, twined their fingers together. ‘I know what I want,’ she said.

The Doctor’s smile was blinding as Yaz cupped her face, ran her thumb along the curve of her cheek. Yaz tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, gently running her finger across the piercings that adorned it. ‘These look great, you know.’

‘Thanks for holding my hand while I had them done,’ the Doctor said. ‘Couldn’t have done it without you. Are you going to kiss me now?’

Yaz laughed, suddenly feeling as light as air. ‘Yes I am.’

 

The Doctor closed her eyes as Yaz’s lips met her own. _Soft_ , she thought, soft and gentle and wonderful. Her hands found their way into Yaz’s hair, holding her close. Yaz’s hands were on her shoulders and she could feel sparks in every point of contact.

When they separated they were both breathless.

‘Good,’ the Doctor said, ‘Was that good? New lips, still learning.’

Yaz grinned, ‘Definitely good. Fancy another go?’

‘Absolutely.’ This time the Doctor nibbled on Yaz’s lower lip, smiling to herself as Yaz sighed against her. Their mouths opened; the Doctor licked her tongue around Yaz’s lips and Yaz’s hands shot into her hair, tugging it. It felt glorious.

‘I could do this forever,’ Yaz gasped and the Doctor hummed as Yaz’s mouth moved from her own to kiss down her neck.

‘Yaz,’ she said, ‘oh, Yaz.’ She tilted her neck, instinctively allowing Yaz more room. Now her hands were slipping of their own accord to Yaz’s waistband, tugging her shirt out and finding bare skin underneath, silky smooth to touch.

‘Doctor,’ Yaz said, a shiver in her voice, ‘Don’t stop.’

 

Then the door banged and the Doctor pulled away from Yaz, feeling as though a bucket of water had just been poured over her. ‘Oh.’

Umbreen appeared in the doorway, a satisfied look on her face. ‘You two managed some talking, then. Good. Yaz, come and get the knives and forks, Doctor, you get out the plates. It’s tea time.’

She bustled off and Yaz and the Doctor exchanged looks.

‘We’d better be good,’ Yaz said.

‘You _were_ being good,’ the Doctor replied before she could stop herself, ‘Um, sorry. I mean...’

Yaz winked and the Doctor grinned.

‘To be continued?’ Yaz suggested.

The Doctor looked at her, at her girlfriend, who had shining eyes and red kissed lips and messy hair. ‘Definitely,’ she said.

 


End file.
